Foster To Take Over Gordon Elliott Stable
Denise Foster pictured in 2016 | racingfotos.com
Trainer Denise Foster will take over the license at Gordon Elliott’s Cullentra Stables while Elliott serves a six-month ban handed down by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board on Friday after a disturbing photo surfaced last weekend on social media of Elliott sitting astride a dead horse in his care. The news of Foster’s takeover was first reported by the Irish Field, with Racing Post later confirming the appointment with Foster.
Elliott was on Friday given a 12-month ban, with the last six months suspended, and an order to pay €15,000 towards the IHRB’s costs for the case. Details of the suspension of the second half of the ban, such as how long the suspension will apply and what actions would trigger its institution, have not been revealed. The ban will come into effect on Mar. 9. Elliott was charged under Rules 272 and 273 (xiii) of the Rules of Racing and Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Rules which, respectively, address individuals acting “in a manner which is prejudicial to the integrity, proper conduct or good reputation of horseracing” and any act “likely to be prejudicial to the interests of the IHRB or which is likely to cause serious damage to the interests of horseracing in Ireland.” The horse in the photo was Morgan (Ire) (Big Bad Bob {Ire}), a then 7-year-old mare owned by Gigginstown House Stud who is believed to have suffered a heart attack during routine morning exercise in 2019. In the photo, Elliott was sitting on the horse while on the phone and appears to be giving the ‘victory’ sign.
Elliott said in a statement released through his Gordon Elliott Racing Twitter account on Friday that he accepts the situation, and he assured the IHRB that he would not attend any formal race meetings or point-to-point fixtures for six months. A statement released on Saturday on Elliott’s Twitter account with regards to Foster’s appointment read, “Gordon Elliott Racing is pleased to confirm the Racing Post story that Denise Foster will take over the license at Cullentra Stables during the period of Gordon Elliott’s suspension. Denise is vastly experienced and her appointment is great news for staff and owners. Gordon will be available to assist her as she requires.”
Foster, who is based down the road from Elliott in Co. Meath, has trained the winners of 10 races-six on the flat and four over jumps-over the past five seasons. The 67-year-old told Racing Post she would be moving her “nine or 10” horses to Cullentra.
“It’s daunting, but exciting,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to it. It feels right and I feel very comfortable with it. I’ve known Gordon for a long time and I already know a lot of his staff. He has an incredible team here. I only live up the road so it just feels right. There has been huge support of these plans from his owners which is very encouraging. I’m incredibly proud of all Gordon has achieved and through all that success he has remained Gordon Elliott. I’ve been in awe of him and everything he’s done in the last few years.”
Prior to the emergence of the photo last weekend, Elliott was in line to have a typically power-packed lineup for the Cheltenham Festival, Britain’s most important jumps meeting, beginning on Mar. 16. Cheveley Park Stud was among those to move its horses from Elliott-including its star novice chaser Envoi Allen (Fr) (Muhtathir {GB})–prior to the ban being handed down, while Gigginstown Stud was among those to voice their support of the trainer. The British Horseracing Authority had moved swiftly and banned Elliott from having runners in the UK while the IHRB’s investigation was ongoing, and on Friday the BHA reciprocated Elliott’s ban and said horses formerly under Elliott’s care would be permitted to compete at Cheltenham should they be moved directly to new trainers before Mar. 9.
With the National Hunt season set to conclude at the end of April, Elliott is Ireland’s leading trainer by winners with 155. He has won seven races this week and his Kruzhlinin (Ger) (Sholokhov {Ire}) won a handicap chase at Navan on Saturday. (fonte : TDN)
More Distance, No Problem for Salute the Soldier in G1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3
Salute the Soldier | DRC/Erika Rasmussen
A winner of the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 over 1900 metres on Feb. 11, Salute the Soldier (Ger) (Sepoy {Aus}) found the added real estate of the 2000-metre G1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 no problem and earned his first Group 1 win at Meydan on Saturday evening. The Fawzi Nass trainee scooted straight to the fence and battled with Tailor’s Row (Street Cry {Ire}) and Roman Rosso (Arg) (Roman Ruler) into the clubhouse turn before shaking off those rivals to take command outright. Approaching the far turn, Tailor’s Row called it a day and Roman Rosso was left to press the Victorious colourbearer as Hypothetical (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) stalked that pair just behind. Salute the Soldier kept finding at the head of affairs inside the final quarter mile, with Hypothetical appearing to bring the strongest challenge, but the 6-year-old gelding held firm to the line to win by about two lengths. Hypothetical was second, with Roman Rosso hanging on for third ahead of Thegreatcollection (Saint Anddan). Salute the Solider is the second Group 1 winner for his sire Sepoy (Aus) (Elusive Quality).
Saturday, Meydan, Middle East
AL MAKTOUM CHALLENGE R3 (SPONSORED BY EMIRATES AIRLINE)-G1, $390,000, Meydan, 3-6, NH4yo/up & SH3yo/up, 2000m, 2:03.09, ft.
1–SALUTE THE SOLDIER (GER), 126, g, 6, by Sepoy (Aus)
1st Dam: Street Fire (Ire), by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Firedrake, by Kris S.
3rd Dam: Danzante, by Danzig
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (380,000gns HRA ’19 TATOCT).
O-Victorious; B-Alan Spence (GER); T-Fawzi Nass; J-Adrie de
Vries. $234,000. Lifetime Record: 21-8-5-3, $1,122,218. Werk
Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Hypothetical (Ire), 126, c, 4, Lope de Vega (Ire)–Peut Etre
(Ire), by Whipper. (550,000gns Ylg ’18 TATOCT). O-Sheikh
Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum; B-Knocktoran Stud
(IRE); T-Salem bin Ghadayer. $78,000.
3–Roman Rosso (Arg), 126, h, 6, Roman Ruler–Rose City (Arg),
by City West (Arg). O-Zaur Bifov; B-Haras Melincue (ARG);
T-Satish Seemar. $39,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 3, 1 1/4.
Also Ran: Thegreatcollection, Secret Ambition (GB), New Trails, Dubai Mirage (Ire), Firnas (GB), Quip, Tailor’s Row, Saltarin Dubai (Arg). Click for the Racing Post chart or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video. (fonte : TDN
Lord Glitters Shines In Jebel Hatta
Lord Glitters | Dubai Racing Club
The 2019 G1 Queen Anne S. winner Lord Glitters (Fr) (Whipper) continued his resurgence at Meydan on Saturday with a come-from-behind victory in the G1 Jebel Hatta.
Sitting near the rear of the pack and on the outside while Godolphin’s highly regarded Al Suhail (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was tucked in between horses, Lord Glitters began to wind up on the outside upon turning for home, but it appeared briefly as if Al Suhail had got first run. Godolphin’s bay, however, drifted out and shortened stride at the same time as Lord Glitters began to kick into high gear under a driving ride from Danny Tudhope, and the grey hit the lead in the dying strides to win by a length.
“I think the way the race developed early on didn’t suit him,” said Tudhope, who missed out on the horse’s win in the G2 Singspiel S on Jan. 21 while he was still in England. Ongoing Covid travel restrictions meant that neither his trainer nor owner have made the trip to Dubai.
“He doesn’t like it when they go that steady. I had William [Buick, on Al Suhail] in front of me and when he came out and started to make his move that’s when [Lord Glitters] started to pick up and motor,” Tudhope continued. “He likes to come through gaps, he’s that sort of horse, so in the end it suited him. It just shows you what a classy horse he is. He’s got the ability but I think when he comes up against proper Group 1 horses these days it is hard for him with younger horses coming through. He ran some solid races the whole year last year and didn’t have a hard campaign, so he came out here fairly fresh.”
The never-say-die run from the popular 8-year-old gave Yorkshire-based David O’Meara his first Meydan Group 1 victory. Lord Glitters races in the colours of Sandra Turnbull, whose husband Geoff died last July at the age of 74. The Turnbull family own Elwick Stud near Hartlepool, which is now home to their dual Grade 1 winner Mondialiste (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who has first first 2-year-old runners this year.
Tudhope added, “It’s just amazing really for the owners to get another Group 1 to their name. A big thank you to the owners who have given me plenty of chances. I’m glad I could deliver for them.”
Lord Glitters won four times in his native France before being sold for €270,000 at the 2017 Arqana Arc Sale. Since joining the O’Meara stable, he has added another five wins to his record from 35 runs in total. His next start in Dubai, which will be his fourth at Meydan this winter, will be in the G1 Dubai Turf on World Cup night in three weeks’ time.
Pedigree notes
Lord Glitters was bred in Normandy by the Lepeudry family’s Elevage de Tourgeville in partnership with Hilary Erculiani. His dam, the listed-placed Lady Glitters (Fr) (Homme De Loi {Fr}), produced eight winners from her 13 foals, including Pivoline (Fr) (Pivotal {GB}), the dam of G3 Prix Gontaut-Biron winner Petit Chevalier (Fr) (High Chaparral {Ire}). Lady Glitters is a half-sister to the listed-winning duo of Grey Glitters (Fr) (Grey Risk [Fr})) and Loupy Glitters (Fr) (Loup Solitaire).
Saturday, Meydan, Middle East
JEBEL HATTA (SPONSORED BY EMIRATES AIRLINE)-G1, $260,000, Meydan, 3-6, NH4yo/up & SH3yo/up, 1800mT, 1:48.44, gd.
1–LORD GLITTERS (FR), 126, g, 8, by Whipper
1st Dam: Lady Glitters (Fr) (MSP-Fr), by Homme de Loi (Ire)
2nd Dam: Marie Glitters, by Crystal Glitters
3rd Dam: Marie de Vez (Fr), by Crystal Palace (Fr)
(€25,000 Ylg ’14 AROOCT; €270,000 HRA ’17 ARQJUL).
O-Geoff & Sandra Turnbull; B-SCA Elevage de Tourgeville &
Mme Hilary Erculiani (FR); T-David O’Meara; J-Daniel Tudhope.
$156,000. Lifetime Record: SP-Fr, G1SW-Eng, 35-9-9-5,
$2,220,544. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: A++.
2–Eqtiraan (Ire), 126, g, 7, Helmet (Aus)–Miranda Frost (Ire), by
Cape Cross (Ire). (92,000gns Wlg ’14 TATNOV; 250,000gns Ylg
’15 TATOCT). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum;
B-Victor Stud Bloodstock & Brendan Cummins (IRE); T-Ali
Rashid Al Rayhi. $52,000.
3–Al Suhail (GB), 126, c, 4, Dubawi (Ire)–Shirocco Star (GB), by
Shirocco (Ger). (1,100,000gns Ylg ’18 TATOCT). O-Godolphin;
B-Meon Valley Stud (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. $26,000.
Margins: HF, SHD, SHD.
Also Ran: Art Du Val (GB), Court House (Ire), Zainhom, First Contact (Ire), Royal Marine (Ire), Moqtarreb (GB), Lucius Tiberius (Ire), Boerhan (GB).
Click for the Racing Post chart or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video. (fonte : TDN)
